Test Valley

Test Valley's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in average age.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Test Valley increased by 6.0%, from just under 110,000 to 116,000.

The addition of just under 6,600 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Test Valley was home to, on average, 1.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Test Valley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Test Valley increased by four years, from 39 to 43 years.

This growing rural area had a higher average age than the South East and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,900 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 4,000.

About 13% of people in Test Valley are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Test Valley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Employment in Test Valley

This area saw the South East's third-largest fall in the proportion of employed people.

Across the region, only Slough (from 59% to 55%) and Milton Keynes (from 63% to 59%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of employed people.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) people aged 16 to 74 in Test Valley said they were employed, compared with 60% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 1.5% to 2.5%.

The rate of employment was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that that said they were employed across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Test Valley stood out from other areas for children

In Test Valley, the proportion went up from 60% in 2001 to 61% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 62%.

The proportion of households with children in Test Valley fell from 31% to 30%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.4% to 9.3%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Test Valley working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Test Valley decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Test Valley, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Test Valley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.2% to 3.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (85%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 74% in 2001. The percentage of Test Valley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Test Valley decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Test Valley, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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